Synchronization in unified messaging systems

ABSTRACT

Techniques for synchronization of fax and/or voice messages in a client-server arrangement are disclosed. In one embodiment, for example, a synchronization method in a phone includes: initiating synchronization of a set of fax and/or voice messages on the phone with a set of fax and/or voice messages on a server; sending a request to the server to receive state of the set of messages on the server; identifying state of the set of messages on the phone; performing a discrepancy assessment between the state of the set of messages on the server and the state of the set of messages on the phone; based on results of the discrepancy assessment, creating a list of synchronization actions to perform for synchronizing the set of messages on the phone with the set of messages on the server; and performing the synchronization actions in the list.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS; BENEFIT CLAIM

This application claims the benefit as a Continuation of applicationSer. No. 12/726,332 filed Mar. 17, 2010, which in turn claims thebenefit as a Continuation of application Ser. No. 11/219,532 filed Sep.2, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,702,669), which in turn claims the benefitof Provisional Appln. Ser. No. 60/607,220 filed Sep. 2, 2004, the entirecontents of each which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fullyset forth herein, under 35 U.S.C. §120. The applicant(s) hereby rescindany disclaimer of claim scope in the parent application(s) or theprosecution history thereof and advise the USPTO that the claims in thisapplication may be broader than any claim in the parent application(s).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present application relates generally to messaging systems.

BACKGROUND

A messaging system can be used to convey information from a sender to arecipient. Conventional messaging systems use various input and deliverymechanisms including telephones, pagers, computers, recorders, answeringmachines and other systems to formulate and deliver the message content.

The approaches described in this section are approaches that could bepursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previouslyconceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it shouldnot be assumed that any of the approaches described in this sectionqualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in thissection.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect, a unified messaging system includes a serverconfigured to store a plurality of server messages, a client configuredto store a plurality of client messages and a synchronizationapplication which synchronizes the client messages with the servermessages associated with the client. The server messages includesvoicemail messages and fax messages for a client, and the clientmessages includes voicemail messages and fax messages for the client andcorrespond generally to the server messages.

In some implementations, one or more of the following features may bepresent. The server messages include received messages and sentmessages, and the client messages include received messages and sentmessages. Each of the server messages includes a server message indexand a read/unread status, each of the client messages includes a clientmessage index and a read/unread status, and synchronizing the clientmessages with the server messages includes synchronizing server messageindices with client message indices, and server message read/unreadstatuses with client message read/unread statuses.

In another implementation, the synchronization application determineswhether a server message on the server has previously been synchronizedto establish a corresponding client message on the client.

According to another aspect, a synchronization method includes storing aplurality of server messages containing voicemail messages and faxmessages on a server, storing a plurality of client messages containingvoicemail messages and fax messages corresponding generally to theserver messages on a client, and synchronizing the client messages withthe server messages.

In a related aspect, a synchronization method includes storing aplurality of server messages containing voicemail messages and faxmessages on a server, storing a plurality of client messages containingvoicemail messages and fax messages corresponding generally to theserver messages on a client, and generating an identifier on the clientand the server at each synchronization.

In various implementations, one or more of the following advantages maybe present. Based on the results of the discrepancy assessmentestablished during the synchronization, the synchronization applicationcreates a list of synchronization actions that can be performed in orderto synchronize the messages on the server with the messages on theclient without having a need to maintain a history of all prior messageson the client. The state of messages on the client may also be updatedso that requests may be sent to the server to update the state ofmessages on the server.

Other features and advantages will be readily apparent from thefollowing detailed description, the accompanying drawings and theclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings in which like reference numbers and designations in thevarious figures indicate like elements:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a unified messaging system according to oneimplementation.

FIG. 2A is a block diagram of a server.

FIG. 2B is a flowchart illustrating a sequence of steps for processing aclient request on a server.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram of a client.

FIG. 3B is a flowchart illustrating a client-based synchronizationprocess.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1, a unified messaging system 100 integrates severaldifferent communications media to allow a user 110 to send and retrievevoice 112 a, fax 112 b, and messages 112 c (e.g., e-mail, text, etc.)from a single interface, whether it be a phone 104 a, a fax machine 104b, or a personal computer 104 c.

A unified messaging system 100 includes a server 102 that can storemessages 108 of different types and of different communications media(e.g., received messages, sent messages, voicemail messages, faxmessages, etc.). Messages 108 are grouped into message clusters 106, ormailboxes, that are associated with individual users 110, or groups ofusers. In one implementation, each individual message 108 includes, butis not limited to, a unique message index (e.g. identifiers), messagecontent (e.g., voice, video, data), message properties (e.g., date andtime, sender information), and message status (e.g., read, unread). Aparticular combination of message indexes and message statuses of allmessages 108 in a given message cluster 106 is referred to as the stateof the messages in the given cluster 106.

The unified message system 100 further includes one or more clients 104for a given user 110. A client 104 can store local copies of themessages 108 that are stored on the server 102. A client 104 can includea synchronization application (discussed in greater detail below) thatperiodically synchronizes the client 104 with the server 102 to ensurethat the state of messages on the server 102 is the same as the state ofmessages on the client 104. Discrepancies between the state of messageson the server 102 and the state of messages on the client 104 arise as aresult of the user 110 deleting a message (e.g., on the server 102 andnot deleting the message on the client 104, and vice versa), messagesarriving at the server 102 and not being loaded on the client 104, theuser 110 viewing a message on a client device or at the server 102, andso on. In one implementation, the synchronization application is not ane-mail application.

FIG. 2A illustrates components of a server 102 according to oneimplementation. The server 102 includes a server message storage module202, which manages the storage of messages on the server 102. The servermessage storage module 202 can be an actual location where the messagesare stored. Alternatively, the server message storage module 202 cancontain information as to where and how the messages are stored on theserver 102 or an external server.

The server 102 further includes an autodelete module 200, whichautomatically deletes certain messages 108 from the server 102 atpredetermined intervals. For instance, the server 102 can be configuredsuch that a given message 108 that arrives at the server 102 isautomatically deleted from the server ten days after arriving. Theautodelete module 202 can be a part of the server message storage module202.

The server 102 further includes a server message access module 204,which is an interface to the server message storage module 202. Thecontent and the properties of a given message in the server messagestorage module 202 are accessed and manipulated through the servermessage access module 204. The server message storage module 202 can bea part of the server message access module 204.

The server 102 further includes a client interaction module 206 throughwhich the server 102 interacts with a client 104. In particular, theserver 102 uses the client interaction module 206 to receive and processrequests from a client 104. In one implementation, the clientinteraction module 206 includes an Internet Server Application ProgramInterface (ISAPI) application 216 for receiving the requests and an XMLparser 226 for processing the requests. The client interaction module206 can also include a telephone access interface (not shown), e.g.,HTTP stream interface, and a web access (not shown), e.g., IVRinterface.

Accordingly, as shown in a flow chart in FIG. 2B, the steps 201 forprocessing a request from a client 104 on the server 102 includereceiving the request through, for example, the ISAPI application 216(step 203). Processing the client's request further includes parsing therequest using, for example, the XML parser 226 (step 205), whichidentifies the messages in the server message storage module 202 thatneed to be accessed. Processing the client's request further includesaccessing the identified messages through the server message accessmodule 204 and manipulating the identified messages in the servermessage storage module 202 per the client's request (207). Optimally,processing the client's request further can include sending a responseto the client 104 (step 209). For instance, the response can includeinformation requested by the client 104 and/or information as to whetherthe request was processed successfully or if there were errors.

FIG. 3A illustrates components of a client 104 according to oneimplementation. The client 104 includes a client message storage module302, which manages the storage of messages on the client 104. The clientmessage storage module 302 can be an actual location where the messagesare stored. Alternatively, the client message storage module 302 cancontain information as to where and how the messages are stored on theclient 104 or an external device.

The client 104 further includes a client message access module 304,which is an interface to the client message storage module 302. Thecontent and the properties of a given message in the client messagestorage module 302 are accessed and manipulated through the clientmessage access module 304. The client message storage module 302 can bepart of the client message access module 304.

The client 104 further includes a server interaction module 306 throughwhich the client 104 interacts with the server 102. In particular, theclient 104 sends requests to the server 102 and receives the server'sresponses through the server interaction module 306. To send a requestto the server 102, the client 104 first uses the server interactionmodule 306 to connect to the server 102 by establishing, for example, anHTTP connection. Subsequently, the server interaction module 306exchanges data with the server 102 specific to the request using, forexample, an XML parser.

The client 104 further includes a synchronization application 308, whichis responsible for synchronizing the messages on the server 102 with themessages on the client 104. In particular, the synchronizationapplication 104 receives the state of messages in the server messagestorage module 202 on the server 102 and compares it with the state ofthe messages in the client message storage module 302 on the client 104.The synchronization application 308 further identifies a set of actionsthat need to be performed to synchronize the messages on the server 102with the messages on the client 104 and subsequently performs thoseactions.

A process 301 that the synchronization application 308 uses tosynchronize the messages on the server 102 with the messages on theclient 104, according to one implementation, is outlined in more detailin FIG. 3B. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3B, the synchronizationapplication 308 on the client 104 initiates synchronization (step 303)by establishing, for example, an HTTP connection with the server 102. Avariety of conditions can cause the synchronization application 308 onthe client 104 to initiate synchronization. For instance, thesynchronization application 308 on the client 104 can initiatesynchronization when it receives a new message notification from theserver 102. The synchronization application 308 on the client 104 canalso initiate synchronization when a message on the client 104 isdeleted.

In one implementation, a unique ID is generated at each synchronizationand saved on both the client 104 and the server 102. Prior to initiatingthe next synchronization, the client 104 transfers this unique ID to theserver 102. The synchronization application 308 on the client 104 canproceed to synchronize the message on the client 104 and the server 102after the server 102 compares and determines that the unique ID receivedfrom the client 104 and that saved on the server 102 corresponds. If theunique ID received from the client 104 and that is saved on the server102 do not correspond, synchronization application 308 does not initiatea synchronization so as to avoid any unnecessary synchronization.

Other conditions that cause the synchronization application 308 on theclient 104 to initiate synchronization can include, but are not limitedto, the user 110 requesting synchronization, the client 104 connectingto the server 102, the state of the client 104 changing from offline toonline, or a message on the client 104 changing status, a timerassociated. Also, synchronization can be performed at predeterminedintervals and initiated, for instance, by a synchronization timer.

Once synchronization is initiated (step 303), the synchronizationapplication 308 on the client 104 sends a request to the server 102through the server interaction module 306 to receive the state of themessages stored on the server 102 (step 305). The server 102 processesthe request according to the steps outlined in reference to FIG. 2B andcan send a response containing information about the state of themessages stored on the server 102 to the client 104.

Once the client 104 receives the state of the messages stored on theserver 102 (step 307), the synchronization application 308 identifiesthe state of the messages stored on the client 104 (step 309) using theclient message access module 304.

Subsequently, the client's synchronization application 308 assesses thediscrepancies between the state of messages stored on the server 102 andthe state of messages stored on the client 104 (step 311). In oneimplementation the discrepancy assessment involves comparing the indexesof the messages stored on the server 102 with the indexes of themessages stored on the client 104. For example, if the indexes of themessages on the server 102 are 1001, 1002, 1003 and 1004, and theindexes of the messages on the client 104 are 1001, 1002, and 1004, themessage with index 1003 has been deleted from the client 104 but notfrom the server 102. The discrepancy assessment can further includecomparing the statuses of the messages with the same indexes on theclient 104 and on the server 102.

Based on the results of the discrepancy assessment (step 311) thesynchronization application 308 creates a list of synchronizationactions that need to be performed in order to synchronize the messageson the server 102 with the messages on the client 104 (step 313). Thesynchronization actions can include, but are not limited to, deletingmessages on the client 104, changing the status of a given message ofthe client 104, sending a request to the server 102 to delete messageson the server 102, sending a request to the server 102 to change thestatus of a given message on the server 102. In one implementation, alist of synchronization actions is created based on the following rules:

1) If a new message has been added on the server 102 since the lastsynchronization (e.g., a new message has been received), the message isadded on the client 104.

2) If a new message has been added on the client 104 since the lastsynchronization (e.g., a new message has been sent), the message isadded on the server 102.

3) If a message on the server 102 has been marked as “read” since thelast synchronization, the corresponding message on the client 104 isalso marked as “read”.

4) If a message on the client 104 has been marked as “read” since thelast synchronization, the corresponding message on the server 102 isalso marked as “read”.

5) If a message on the server 102 has been marked as “unread” since thelast synchronization, the corresponding message on the client 104 isalso marked as “unread”.

6) If a message on the client 104 has been marked as “unread” since thelast synchronization, the corresponding message on the server 102 isalso marked as “unread”.

7) If a message on the server 102 has been deleted since the lastsynchronization, and the deletion was not performed by the autodeletemodule 200, the corresponding message on the client 104 is also deleted.

8) If a message on the client 104 has been deleted since the lastsynchronization, the corresponding message on the server 102 is alsodeleted.

Once the list of synchronization actions is created, the synchronizationapplication 308 performs the synchronization actions in the list (step315). Performing synchronization actions in the list can include, but isnot limited to, updating the state of messages on the client 104 andsending requests to the server 102 to update the state of messages onthe server 102.

The invention and all of the functional operations described in thisspecification can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or incomputer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structural meansdisclosed in this specification and structural equivalents thereof, orin combinations of them. The invention can be implemented as one or morecomputer program products, i.e., one or more computer programs tangiblyembodied in an information carrier, e.g., in one or more non-transitorycomputer-readable media, for execution by, or to control the operationof, data processing apparatus, e.g., a programmable processor, acomputer, or multiple computers. A computer program (also known as aprogram, software, software application, or code) can be written in anyform of programming language, including compiled or interpretedlanguages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as astand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unitsuitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program does notnecessarily correspond to a file. A program can be stored in a portionof a file that holds other programs or data, in a single file dedicatedto the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g.,files that store one or more modules, sub-programs, or portions ofcode). A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computeror on multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiplesites and interconnected by a communication network.

The processes and logic flows described in this specification, includingthe method steps of the invention, can be performed by one or moreprogrammable processors executing one or more computer programs toperform functions of the invention by operating on input data andgenerating output. The processes and logic flows can also be performedby, and apparatus of the invention can be implemented as, specialpurpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array)or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).

Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, byway of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, andany one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, aprocessor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory ora random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer area processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devicesfor storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will alsoinclude, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer datato, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g.,magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. Information carrierssuitable for embodying computer program instructions and data includeall forms of non-volatile memory, including by way of examplesemiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memorydevices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks;magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor andthe memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purposelogic circuitry.

To provide for interaction with a user, the invention can be implementedon a computer having a display device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) orLCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, for displaying information to theuser and a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball,by which the user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds ofdevices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; forexample, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensoryfeedback, e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback;and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic,speech, or tactile input.

The invention can be implemented in a computing system that includes aback-end component (e.g., a data server), a middleware component (e.g.,an application server), or a front-end component (e.g., a clientcomputer having a graphical user interface or a Web browser throughwhich a user can interact with an implementation of the invention), orany combination of such back-end, middleware, and front-end components.The components of the system can be interconnected by any form or mediumof digital data communication, e.g., a communication network. Examplesof communication networks include a local area network (“LAN”), e.g., awireless LAN, and a wide area network (“WAN”), e.g., the Internet.

The invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments, butother embodiments can be implemented and are within the scope of thefollowing claims. For example, the operations of the invention can beperformed in a different order and still achieve desirable results. Asone example, the process depicted in FIG. 3B does not require theparticular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirableresults (e.g., step 305 can follow steps 307 and 309). Furthermore,synchronization application 308 can run on the client 104, or on theserver 102. Moreover, a portion of the synchronization application 308can run on the client 104, and a portion of the synchronizationapplication 308 can run on the server 102. In certain implementations,multitasking and parallel processing may be preferable.

What is claimed is:
 1. A synchronization method in a phone, the phonecomprising one or more processors for executing instructionsimplementing the method and one or more memory devices for storing theinstructions and associated data, the method comprising: initiatingsynchronization of a set of fax and/or voice messages on the phone witha set of fax and/or voice messages on a server; sending a request to theserver to receive state of the set of messages on the server;identifying state of the set of messages on the phone; performing adiscrepancy assessment between the state of the set of messages on theserver and the state of the set of messages on the phone; based onresults of the discrepancy assessment, creating a list ofsynchronization actions to perform for synchronizing the set of messageson the phone with the set of messages on the server; and performing thesynchronization actions in the list.